'Jack Reacher' leading lady close to signing on

Sources tell Variety that Rosamund Pike has been offered the coveted role opposite Ben Affleck in Fincher’s big screen adaptation of “GoneGirl” for Fox and New Regency. We’re told nothing is official yet.

Since landing Affleck, pre-production has amped up and Fox, Fincher and New Regency have worked fast to find his co-star. While sources told Variety that Olivia Wilde, Abbie Cornish and Julianne Hough had all submitted tapes to test for the part, insiders also confirmed that reports of Pike having an early edge were also true saying Fincher had met with the actress before he left to scout locations.

Fincher returned this week and was expected to meet with some of the girls but it seems Pike left an impression with both the studio and director.

Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea will produce through their Pacific Standard banner along with Leslie Dixon.

The Gillian Flynn novel is the dark and suspenseful story of a woman who disappears on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary.

A bidding war ensued last summer when the book was offered to studios. Fox paid seven figures to outbid studios, including Universal.